Elegancy

Elegancy
Elegance El"e*gance, Elegancy El"e*gan*cy, n. [L. elegantia, fr. elegans, -antis, elegant: cf. F. ['e]l['e]gance.] 1. The state or quality of being elegant; beauty as resulting from choice qualities and the complete absence of what deforms or impresses unpleasantly; grace given by art or practice; fine polish; refinement; -- said of manners, language, style, form, architecture, etc. [1913 Webster]

That grace that elegance affords. --Drayton. [1913 Webster]

The endearing elegance of female friendship. --Johnson. [1913 Webster]

A trait of native elegance, seldom seen in the masculine character after childhood or early youth, was shown in the General's fondness for the sight and fragrance of flowers. --Hawthorne. [1913 Webster]

2. That which is elegant; that which is tasteful and highly attractive. [1913 Webster]

The beautiful wildness of nature, without the nicer elegancies of art. --Spectator.

Syn: {Elegance}, {Grace}. Elegance implies something of a select style of beauty, which is usually produced by art, skill, or training; as, elegance of manners, composition, handwriting, etc.; elegant furniture; an elegant house, etc. Grace, as the word is here used, refers to bodily movements, and is a lower order of beauty. It may be a natural gift; thus, the manners of a peasant girl may be graceful, but can hardly be called elegant. [1913 Webster]


The Collaborative International Dictionary of English. 2000.

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Look at other dictionaries:

  • elegancy — noun A mock title. Your Elegancy ... (Robert Southey) …   Wiktionary

  • elegancy — noun (plural cies) Date: 15th century elegance …   New Collegiate Dictionary

  • elegancy — /el i geuhn see/, n., pl. elegancies. elegance. [1525 35; < L elegantia. See ELEGANT, ANCY] * * * …   Universalium

  • elegancy — (Roget s Thesaurus II) noun Refined, effortless beauty of manner, form, and style: elegance, grace, polish, urbanity. See BEAUTIFUL, STYLE …   English dictionary for students

  • elegancy — n. grandeur, luxury; gracefulness; tastefulness, refined quality …   English contemporary dictionary

  • elegancy — el·e·gan·cy …   English syllables

  • elegancy — el•e•gan•cy [[t]ˈɛl ɪ gən si[/t]] n. pl. cies elegance • Etymology: 1525–35 …   From formal English to slang

  • elegancy — /ˈɛləgənsi/ (say eluhguhnsee), /ˈɛlɪ / (say eli ) noun (plural elegancies) → elegance …  

  • elegancy — nsē, si noun ( es) Etymology: Middle English elegancie, from Latin elegantia : elegance usually used in plural Lord Chesterfield … that arbiter of elegancies P.E.More elegancies such as silk, porcelain, fans, and screens Victor Purcell …   Useful english dictionary

  • Elegance — El e*gance, Elegancy El e*gan*cy, n. [L. elegantia, fr. elegans, antis, elegant: cf. F. [ e]l[ e]gance.] 1. The state or quality of being elegant; beauty as resulting from choice qualities and the complete absence of what deforms or impresses… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

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